Alistair Overeem’s credibility as a fighter has always been up for debate, especially since he made the transition to the heavyweight division in 2008.
His 255-pound, chiseled frame has brought attention to the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion. Overeem has had to address the media on multiple occasions regarding his alleged steroid abuse.
Overeem will make his UFC debut this weekend against Brock Lesnar, and despite all the attention he has received thus far, the Dutchman isn’t about to wilt under pressure or become distracted.
“There have been some distractions, yes, but I’m pretty good at focusing myself, keeping the focusing on the training,” Overeem told MMAJunkie.com during an open workout earlier this week. “My team has also taken, I’d say, 99 percent of the weight off my shoulders, and that kept me focused.”
Overeem and Lesnar are slated to meet in the main event at UFC 141. The winner is then expected to challenge the current heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos.
The amount of attention Overeem has received since his arrival to the UFC would certainly be overwhelming for some fighters—especially those headlining a main card—but “The Demolition Man” is having to answer more questions than usual.
Overeem anticipates this kind of attention in the spotlight. He said he believes there is a lot of value surrounding his upcoming bout with Lesnar.
“Of course then there’s going to be more media, more cameras, more people, more opinions, more everything. But it’s part of our job,” he said. “In my opinion, this is one of the biggest fights ever.”
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